Transformers: The Last Knight adds actual Knight Anthony Hopkins to the cast

Transformers: The Last Knight is following in the footsteps of its predecessors. Previous outings in the robo-franchise have managed to wangle some pretty prestigious actors to star alongside its towering 'bots - Frances McDormand, Stanley Tucci and Jon Turturro to name but three. And this latest entry is looking to boost its class factor considerably by throwing Hannibal Lecter himself, Sir Anthony Hopkins, into the mix.

As his title denotes: Hopkins is a genuine Knight. It's probably just a coincidence, but still it adds a bit of intrigue to his involvement. Is the fifth Transformers film going to go a bit meta? It seems unlikely. This is a Michael Bay movie, after all. We should expect big, bad explosions, a butt-numbing running time, and scantily-clad women. Your standard Baybuster, then. Hopkins is no stranger to big-budget popcorn fare, however, most recently appearing as Thor's dad Odin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The announcement of Hopkins' casting emerged on the official Transformers Twitter account. It doesn't reveal who he'll be playing, but if the previous Oscar-winning actors in the franchise are any indication it's probably a government official. Or maybe he's mo-capping Megatron.

Directed by Michael Bay and starring Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Duhamel, Jerrod Carmichael and Isabel Moner, Transformers: The Last Knight is scheduled to open in the US and UK on June 23, 2017.